Declining BC drug death trend continues through May; two more deaths recorded in Kamloops

VICTORIA — Slowly but surely, the number of British Columbians being killed by unregulated drugs is on the decline.

New numbers released by the BC Coroners Service Thursday (July 9) show 109 deaths in the month of May attributed to drug toxicity. That is the lowest monthly total in more than six years, since February 2020.

The province has recorded 630 toxic drug fatalities so far in 2026, putting B.C. on pace for its lowest year-end total since 2019.

In Kamloops, two more deaths were attributed to illicit drugs in May, bringing the year-to-date total to 13.